Recalled
by Draco Malfoy is Blonde
Summary: "Ms Rowling has spoken Hermione!" Ron said, distraught, "Merlin the kids, Ginny, Harry's kids, what are we going to do? That's it, that's the end of it. You have to end up with Harry." Hermione looked upset, but perhaps not as upset as she should have. Re-write completed 5-4-16.
1. Chapter I

**Chapter** **I**

 _The Leading Authority of the Entire Freaking Universe_

* * *

Ron Weasley, in the time before those _delightful_ producers gave him a bit of a belly and his hair started thinning - no, it _had_ started thinning a bit it just wasn't __noticeable__ yet - was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron enjoying a glass of Ogden's finest. Ogden's finest beverage for drowning your sorrows, maybe. Hermione came up to up him, took a seat across from him. He gave her a questioning look.

"They're with your mother." She answered, talking about the children. They were still only babies after all, Rosie was eight and Hugo six.

"I can't believe what that nasty witch said about me, about us." He said aloud. "Bloody hell." Ron shook his head and his wife grabbed his hand.

"Doesn't mean it's true-" Hermione started.

"It kind of does though." Ron interrupted. "She said it and now everyone..." He paused. "Everyone knows we were having problems."

"Ron really, you can't take everything that's said to heart-" She started again.

"The woman is famous, Hermione, everyone in our world hangs off of her every word," he looked at her now, pleading, miserable. "There's nothing for it." He announced, Hermione herself looked quite upset at the words of her inconsolable husband.

"Ms Rowling has spoken, you... you have to end up with Harry." Ron announced, throwing his arms in the air in defeat. This was it, his worst fear realised, he'd believed for a minute there he'd actually be able to keep her, to compete with Harry... He was a fool. Hermione looked... Well not as upset as she should have, maybe.

"And Ginny?" She asked. "Theoretically." She added quickly at his nasty look.

"Doesn't matter does it?" He asked, "anyone actually would be great for Ginny because she hasn't really got much of a personality when it comes down to it." Ron assessed his sister. "Wasn't developed enough. Except for one outburst about not trusting everything that's written in books and pushing me to hurt you by snogging Lavender she hasn't said an interesting thing all series. I mean even in the movie they cut an important and crucial clue about the location of a Horcrux so Harry and Ginny could have a snog!?" He shook his head again. "Ginny can get back together with Dean, or Michael, I'm sure there's more ex boyfriends of hers, Fred and George wrote a song about it for Merlin's sake." He paused, considered his wife, his temper cooled and again his tone was resigned. "You and Harry will get married... take all the kids, I'd never win a custody battle against you and him." Ron missed the look on Hermione's face at the thought of looking after five young children. "Everyone will live happily ever after except me. I'll be all alone, probably be a drunk too, I'll get fat, and one day," his words caught in his throat. "One day Rosie and Hugo will start to call me uncle Ron too. I couldn't stand to hear that, I'm their dad. I'll have to go to Romania and live with Charlie!" He exclaimed, distraught. "Charlie's apartment smells like dragon dung."

"I still think you're looking too far into it Ronald." Hermione insisted.

"That's the way it would go though, isn't it?" He asked. Hermione was inclined to agree only because he was annoying her right now. That happened a lot. He could be annoying, but she annoyed him too. And it was the actual J. K. Rowling who had mentioned she would be better off with Harry, said her and Ron would need some kind of counseling to be happy together, they'd been fighting more and more, the thought had crossed her mind that her lazy, pig-headed husband wasn't really good enough for her.

"The worst part is no one ever thought of me, they're all concerned about you being happy in our marriage!" Ron continued. "It's like I don't matter at all! But I am happy, I mean, I know we've been fighting more but that will pass, I love you. And our kids, Merlin when this gets out at Hogwarts, that you should be off with their uncle, and Harry's kids what about them? The lot of them will have enough to worry about with the Order of Merlin's and the chocolate frog cards and my co-running the best joke shop in the country. They don't need a screwed up love triangle in their family too, next thing we know Cedric will come back from the dead sparkling like a fairy princess and fall madly in love with Rosie. He's way to old for her!" Ron was rambling, by this point far too drunk to be saying anything of any value at all, it annoyed Hermione when he got like this, though he didn't drink often.

"Ron really -" she began.

"Are you happy with me Hermione? Do you think we need counseling?" Ron finally asked, faced with all his worst fears and his deepest rooted insecurities.

"Well, if you're suggesting it." His wife shot, annoyed with him now, "We can start with you flying off the handle at the silliest-"

"What? But we're plenty happy!" Ron interrupted, it was enough she had said yes, never mind the reasons why, or that she was making a very bad joke.

"And you interrupt me." Hermione snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ron had the grace to look guilty. "Sorry, but really? You're not happy?"

Hermione was surprised at the sincerity in his question given his intoxicated state, but she also knew him well enough to know he was actually very upset, so she really thought on his questions. It wasn't everyday the leading authority of the whole entire world told you your marriage was a mistake.

"We fight a lot." She pointed out. Ron shrugged.

"Nothing serious-"

"No, we have our fair share of serious fights." Hermione interrupted him.

"Not for ages, not since you started working later-"

"I haven't been home for you to fight with me!" She interrupted him.

"I haven't appreciate that, actually, besides, I'm not the one who picks the fights!" Ron said back. "It's always you!"

"Ronald, I do not pick all the fights!"

A laugh interrupted them. "At it again?" Harry asked sitting down next to Hermione, much to Ron's chagrin. "I heard about what she said, sorry mate, that can't have felt good. It's not true though, 'course." Harry laughed nervously.

"Ronald is actually considering what to do after I leave him for you." Hermione said, crossing her arms. Ron glared at her. Harry gave Ron a look that very clearly said 'what an idiot.'

"It's a pretty big thing. After all this time, all the planning and everything she just... It's a pretty big issue, is all I'm saying, I want you to be happy, Hermione, more than anything, even if I... I just want you to be happy." Ron defended himself.

"Well I wouldn't leave Ginny anyway, Ginny is perfect." Harry announced, as though that was the end of it.

"That's why you should leave Ginny!" Ron insisted. "She's got no personality outside being your wife and a sports writer!"

"That's a good thing, we talk about Quidditch all the time," Harry pointed out, both Ron and Hermione had a rather horrified look on their face.

"Is that really all you talk about?" Hermione asked, Harry blushed a bit.

"Hermione gets angry with me when I try to tell her about quidditch." Ron said, saving Harry from answering, "She's always too busy." Harry looked between the pair.

"Hermione doesn't like quidditch. It's like her trying to tell you about house elf rights, Ron." Harry said as though it was the simplest thing in the world.

"I do try to tell him about house elf rights. That's what started the fight last Tuesday." Hermione confessed. "If he'd just listen-"

"I was listening to the World Cup on the wireless!" Ron immediately defended himself. "I told you that! I even asked you to come and cuddle while it was on! Its not that I don't want to listen, only I was doing something."

"Stop, stop, Merlin, was that why you came to sleep on our couch on Tuesday?" Harry asked Ron, who nodded. Harry just shook his head. "I think you've convinced yourselves you have problems. You might bicker a bit but you both like to bicker? I don't like to hear it but you two seem to enjoy it."

"No" Ron said bluntly. Hermione, for the first time all night, agreed with him.

"Well why did you get together?" Harry asked. Ron answered immediately.

"She's brilliant isn't she?" He asked as though it were obvious. "And she keeps my head on straight, pretty, kind, brave, she's the best mum, I'd be lost without her. I could talk about why I love you forever Hermione."

Hermione was blushing, not realizing both her boys were looking at her expectantly.

"Hermione?" Harry prodded, "your turn." He added.

"Oh!" She said, flustered. "You're brave too," she said, "and handsome." She added but then she started struggling. "Bit childish sometimes, and your so insecure. He still gets jealous when I talk to other men, holds grudges and mopes a lot. Too competitive and you-" Hermione stopped, Ron looked very angry. "You have a temper." She finished weakly.

"Wow." Harry said standing, he downed the rest of his drink, "I'm not going to get in the middle of this," He announced and left them.

"Ron..." Hermione said but he shook his head.

"That's it." He declared. "We're getting a divorce and we will set this right!"

* * *

 _Notes From the Writer_

 _Ron is, I think, my favourite character. And I was devastated when I saw what Rowling had said, but I agree with it. I hate Ginny, so I don't really care where she goes, but I could never think of who Ron would have been with had Rowling changed her mind before that final chapter was written._

 _So I'm trying to figure it out! Hopefully in the most entertaining way I can so its a bit of a crack plot. Very tongue in cheek while still being slightly believable as a story._

 _Disclaimer, to apply to the entire story. J. K. Rowling owns the characters and situations in this story. No profit is being made from this story. Despite having Ron call her a nasty witch I'd like to clarify I do not share this view at all - his words not mine (the producers, however...)_

 _Warnings for sexual references and language. If you feel I need to up the rating to M please let me know, sometimes its so hard to judge. Thanks for reading, I do hope you enjoy._


	2. Chapter II

**Chapter II**

 _The Next Step is to Find Ron a New Wife_

* * *

"Well what about Luna?" Hermione asked. Once the trio had calmed down and each had a glass of their choice 'beverage to make you blind' the next step, as the separation of Ron and Hermione was official; was to find Ron a new wife. He shook his head. "She's..." He paused. Loony, actually was how he would describe Luna. "I can't stand you talking about spew ("S.P.E.W!") let alone nargles, wrackspurts and microbes." Both Harry and Hermione shared a look but let it slide.

"He's right, he's too mean for Luna." Harry announced "She once told me she though he could be cruel." Ron looked at him, hurt, however justified the assessment was.

"Insensitive, Ronald, he meant insensitive." Hermione said, which cheered him up a bit. He could agree with insensitive.

"Right then," Ron breathed, trying to think of a girl other than Hermione whom he fancied. "How about Emma Watson?"

"Be serious Ronald!" Hermione scolded, while Harry had snorted his firewhiskey out his nose at the suggestion.

"I think you and Luna might be okay." Hermione backtracked, apparently taken with the idea. "She has married a person who none of us knew existed or never even heard of before, so no problems there. And I think you would have gotten together after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. You saw that she could be brave and powerful and that despite being... Well Luna she's a serious person." Hermione nodded as though the matter was settled. "Couldn't get any more different from me, could you?"

"I'm not convinced." Ron said and Harry agreed.

"Now seriously, you would stay together until we went Horcrux hunting-" Hermione began.

"But when Ron left," Harry continued, here Ron's ears turned red, that was his worst moment, "he'd go back to Luna and she would leave him for leaving us. He's not mature enough for her." Harry added. Ron shook his head, ignoring his irritation at them saying he was too immature for Loony Lovegood.

"No, I'd have gone back and found her gone." Ron reminded them, by Christmas Luna had been taken off the train. He was trying to decide what he would have done. He'd felt horrible the whole time he was away. Guilty. He never should have left them and he'd never forgive himself for letting the locket get the better of him. For letting his own pig headded-ness get the better of him. His own insecurity. His biggest flaw.

"I'd like to think I'd go looking for her." Ron said, though he really did think that was what he'd have done. "It would have been easier if I had someone else to look after. I'd have been caught by the Malfoy's I guess. Probably used to bait you two out of hiding. But Luna has a way of comforting people, she's rather extrodinary like that."

"And we would have saved you," Harry said slowly, both he and Hermione had gone rather quiet at Ron's assesment of Luna, "and you and Luna could have lived happily ever after. So why can't they work now?" Harry finished with.

"Well assuming she breaks up with Rolf," Hermione started. "Luna is very career orientated. Travels a lot for her job and Ron doesn't like travel."

"Enough camping for a lifetime." Ron declared. Hermione rolled her eyes, though Harry was agreeing whole-heartedly. Ron sighed.

"She's passionate about her job. I'd probably..." His ears went red again and he gulped down some more of his drink. "Probably get jealous that she didn't spend as much time home, because I wouldn't move, we're aleady having that problem now," He said to Hermione. "Luna would start to avoid me, like Hermine's been doing, working late. Marriage gets strained, I'd be grumpy, her kids would hate me, I'd be brooding then my kids would hate me and we would divorce. I bet three years after we got married." Ron summarised. Hermione nodded in agreement. "You and Luna are too simmilar, actually. She'd much more broadminded and prone to wild fantasy, and you're logical to the point of stupid but... And I'll shut up now." Ron finished lamely, seeing the look on Hermione's face whcih very clearly ssid she didn't much appreciate being called 'logical to the point of stupid'. Harry, however was making a habit of snorting firewhiskey from his nose.

"Yes, I'm starting to have trouble imagining you staying married to anyone for very long." Hermione snapped, "Who next? Oh what about Katie?"

Harry perked up at the mention of his ex quidditch team mate. "You both like quidditch," he pointed out.

"I guess." Ron said. "I have other interests. I'm more than quidditch, aren't I?" Harry nodded but Hermione looked unsure.

"Katie is nice," Harry insisted.

"Don't know much else about her but." Ron said.

"A quidditch based relationship worked for Harry and Ginny though," Hermione pointed out, "Maybe thats why we don't work," Hermione was saying, but Harry interrupted.

"Ginny and I are more than an mutual love of quidditch!" He said angrily, "Besides, you and Victor got along alright, you were the most important thing of his in the lake, afterall. We never did find out much about that little relationship did we, only there wasn't much talking." Harry pointed out, now Hermione was turning red, but Ron was laughing.

"Trust me Harry, there's not much talking in our marriage either," He said, rather huskily, Hermione Weasley had achieved a shade of red to make her in-laws proud, Ron leaned over the table and kissed her rather forcefully, leaving her breathless.

"Ronald!" Hermione managed once he'd released her, "We're seperated." She pointed out, Harry was cringing, rather disgusted.

"And after the curtosey I show you not snogging your sister like that in front of you." Harry muttered darkly. Ron's eyebrows rose.

"Want to go there mate?" He asked, "or Maybe we could go to my room at the burrow, the broom cupboard in the fourth floor, just about every flat surface in Grimmauld -" He began listing all the places he'd caugh Harry and Ginny Snogging... Or worse.

"Yeah I get it, Merlin, if you knocked more Ron." Harry started, Ron laughed now.

"I'll be sure to knock then next time I need to use my desk at work." He shot.

"Oh really? But we've done it there too." Hermione said suddenly and Harry looked a suitable mix of horrified and disgusted.

"We were there first," Ron said with a crooked smile.

"Moving on," Harry announced loudly, finishing his drink and pouring a new one. "Millicent Bullstrode?" Harry suggested next after thinking on it for a while. The suggestion earned him a disgusted look from his friends.

"You have to be kidding me? That buffoon of a girl. She put me in a headlock in second year. Totally barbaric." Hermione argued, but as though the words changed her mind she looked at Ron contemplatively. "Actually-"

"No." Ron deadpanned. "She's a Slytherin!"

"Not anymore." Hermione said. "I think it could work." She said excited. Harry laughed at Ron's indignation.

"You're kidding, you're actually making a funny, funny joke." He said looking white. Hermione shook her head. She opened her mouth as though to convince him to send an owl of proposal to Millicent but Ron stood and left the pub.

"Oh, he doesn't see how perfect it is. They're both stubborn and but-headded and crass and barbaric." Hermione smiled. "And-" she stopped at the look Harry gave her.

"They're too similar." Harry told her. "They would fight worse than you and him, Ron would eternally turn up in my fire place covered in bruises and cuts. He'd be miserable, afraid of being alone so he'd let her mistreat him, No Thank you." Harry said.

"Well, who else?" Hermione asked, by this point the authour really wants to get to 10000 words and is so close. Harry thought on in for a moment, then a sly grin came onto his face.

"Seeing as he's not here to get angry at us," He said, "What if its not a wife he's looking for after all?" Hermione's eyebrows rose.

"So what, somehting like Rose and Scorpius become friends when they go to school and Malfoy and Ron have some kind of affair?" She asked. Harry laughed again, but Hermione looked rather contemplative.

"Thats actually kind of... Hot." Hermione admitted, "I mean, Ron's rather rough in the bedroom, do you think Malfoy would submit?"

While Harry looked rather disturbed at all this information he nodded.

"Malfoy is such a bottom," Harry said, thinking Malfoy would probably like Ron yanking on his perfect silver hair... "Change the subject," Harry said rather quickly, Hermione was right, it was kind of hot and he didn't want to think about it.

"Seamus?" Hermione tried, "Did he even get married?" She asked, Harry shook his head.

"I think he'd prefer a wife, honestly," Harry said, Hermione agreed.

She sighed deeply, "It would be so much easier if everyone was still alive," She said, Harry readily agreed. "I'm trying to think of someone maybe a little older, you know, someone we didn't go to school with."

"What about younger, Fleur's little sister?" Harry suggested.

"She's only something like 26." Hermione said doubtfully. "And a quater veela to boot."

"What, you don't think Ron gould get a girl like that? I once heard Bill tell George Gabby was quite taken with him, bit of a crush, if I heard right."

"Gabby?" Hermione asked, she didn't know ron had had anything to do with the younger woman.

"Yeah Gabby, she used to help out at the joke shop."

"He never told me this," Hermione said, starting to worry now, maybe something had been going on behind her back.

"Stop thinking like that Hermione, its every now and then, usually when she's visiting her sister and Bill and Fleur both work now, Ron offered so Gabby wouldn't have to stay with Molly. I'm sure he'd mentioned it."

He stood then, finished his last sip of fire whiskey and put his glass back on the table with a thud.

"I'll see you later Hermione, I better get home. Ginny has a Quidditch thing tomorrow and I'm watching the kids - not a word she has other intrests."

"Like being a huge Harry Potter fangirl," Hermione mumbled, but Harry heard and marched from the pub. "Night Harry!" Hermione called to his retreating back, she looked at her own glass of mulled mead for a long while before sighing sadly.


	3. Chapter III

**Chapter III**

 _The Practice Went a Long Way_

* * *

Ron was in the shop restocking shelves when Harry jumped on him excited, it was after closing time so there were no customers to speak of. George was off already, gone home to Angelina, though Ron always thought it was weird she'd dated both his brothers and wondered if she realised that there are two of them... well there had been.

"Mate," Ron greeted, grimacing as Harry jostled his bad back in the wrong direction. Battle did it in, really, his back, it was always a bit sore now, his leg was too a bit, from when it was broken in third year, he had lots of aches and pains now, he was loser to middle age than not.

"I've thought of it!" Harry announced, evidently the reason for his visit. Ron raised an eyebrow. "A new squeeze!" Harry explained, "Who you end up with." He clarified. Ron nodded, staying quiet so his friend might continue.

"Tonks" Harry revealed happily, Ron's work lay forgotten.

"She was only three years older huh?" Ron asks, obviously considering the match, Harry nods. "I guess that could work. She's funny, brilliant, actually." Ron continued, he was actually rather taken with the idea, He quite fancied Tonks when he'd first me her too.

"And she's tough enough to knock you into place when you start acting like an idiot." Harry added with a grin.

"How do I end up with Tonks though?" Ron asked. Harry thought about it.

"You know I have no idea. Maybe if you never came back, last Christmas, start going on missions for the order. That's how her and Remus-" Harry paused. "She married Remus anyway."

"It won't help me now but." Ron pointed out sadly seeing as they were both killed in the battle of Hogwarts. He supposed if she'd have lived they would have grown closer from mutual loneliness, shared grief. He'd be Teddy's stepfather. They might even have had children of their own. "'Sides we're cousins, somehow." He remembered and that was the end of that idea, he drew the line at incest, if you looked too closely at Sirius family tree you'd find that Sirius' parents were cousins, which was gross.

"How about Umbridge?" Harry said. Ron nearly vomited all over his best mate's shoes.

"Now you are joking," He stated and Harry nodded.

"But really, she always wanted to marry an influential ministry official. Instead of working here you climb the Auror ranks, eventually your eyes meet across a room embellished with a thousand pink frills and she looks at you like one would look at a particularly juicy fly ahh!" There was a bang and Harry went toppling head over heels, suddenly finding himself dressed as Neville's grandmother.

George was the genius behind it, while Ron was a fair hand at creating spells George had figured this one out, but the idea had been Ron's; a public tribute to the Herbology Professor and the teacher who taught him to repel boggarts. Harry grimaced, while Ron smiled; knowing the only counter curse was to wait, Harry straightened his pointed vulture hat and glared at Ron.

"You deserve that," Ron said, pointing an accusatory finger at his best mate. "It's not even okay to joke about that."

Ron finished his work and the friends flooded home, or rather to Hermione's house.

"Dad!"

Ron beamed as his kids came to greet him. He kissed Rose on the top of her head and picked up Hugo, Albus, Lily and James were close behind them saying hello to Harry. Ginny came after them. Ron had expected Hermione, she always came to see him when he got home, though he shouldn't have now, they were separated, after all.

"Hey Gin," Ron said as his sister kissed her husband.

Ron went through to the kitchen. Even though he no longer lived here the place still felt like home.

"Hermione," Ron said awkwardly as he entered the kitchen. She looked surprised to see him, but smiled eventually.

"I wasn't sure you would come." She mumbled, balancing the table setting pieces as she carried them towards the dining room, Ron waved his wand and the plates, cups, knives and forks went to set themselves on the table. She always forgot she could do magic, she just smiled in thanks.

"I'll just change," Ron said, heading to their old room to slip into casual robes when he came back down Dean had arrived, and he sat next to Ginny, Neville was there, with Hannah, his wife and their children and Susan Bones.

"Neville." Ron greeted his old friend. The dinner was to celebrate his appointment to Head of Gryffindor. "Well done mate."

"Thanks, I heard about the separation, I'm sorry Ron," Neville replied. Ron nodded.

"Aw well," he brushed off the sympathy, a brave face was required. "Water under the bridge. We're still friends, which is important." Neville agreed.

"Oh, this is Susan," Neville said, introducing the girl again. Ron nodded, he'd remembered her, a Hufflepuff in his year. Her long red hair was still kept braided.

Susan nervously mumbled something about freshening up and left the room.

"I thought I might introduce her to Dean, Hannah's idea." The round faced man said with a smile. Ron agreed. It was about time their friend settled. There was a knock and Hermione went to get the door, coming in with Luna in periwinkle dress robes and her wand tucked behind her ear. "Rolf had to babysit the boys," she said her voice still airy. "He said he was sorry he couldn't come. I brought you some sage," she said handing Hermione a bunch of the fragrant herb. "It repels Blibbering Humdingers."

Later that night when the kids were asleep, or just about asleep, the adults were still sitting at the table in the long shadows cast by the candles and the electrical lamps.

"LAVENDER!" Dean yelled, "Lavender Brown!" He exclaimed triumphantly at Ginny. "Couldn't keep 'em off each other in school eh?" Ron shook his head, they'd already gone through a dozen more possibilities as that sat around drinking and laughing.

"She only wanted to snog," Ron complained. "Nothing else, no talking, not even gossip. It was exhausting."

"Practice went a long way though." Hermione muttered, pouring herself and the other women another wine, her words got them all giggling. Ron puffed up his chest with pride.

"No, Lavender died in the battle anyway." Hannah reminded them, though the alcohol made the statement less melancholy than it should have been.

"Look," Susan said, putting a hand over Ron's across the table. "You're a great, great ginger and you need someone special." She said determined. "If Rowling wants to say things like that, she has to make you someone special. Someone just for you, like Ginny was just for Harry."

Ginny got offended by the insinuation that her whole existence was to be a vessel for Harry's children.

"Luna?" Dean suggested.

"Yes?" Luna asked, apparently she hadn't been paying attention.

"You could marry Ron." Dean said, like their troubles were all solved. Luna considered Ron for a moment then crinkled her nose and shook her head.

"No I don't think so. We'd divorce soon after anyway. I'd say three years." Luna said. Ron smiled at the strange girl.

"That's exactly what I said." Ron told her, to which she nodded.

"My sister!" Hermione exclaimed. Much to the shock of everyone.

"You have a sister?" Harry asked, "What's she like?"

"No idea." Hermione said. "She was forgotten about the first few years I was going to Hogwarts. But it would have been perfect, could you imagine how insecure she'd be, a muggle girl with me as an older sister!"

"Being self absorbed doesn't suit you," Ron said, "Besides like we need two people with near crippling self depreciation complexes."

"No, no, no, that's just recycling everything that is Ginny anyway," Dean interrupted, Ginny again grew offended. "I think it's weird enough that Harry is sleeping with his sister, because Molly kind of adopted him in first year when he was sent that hideous jumper, if Ron then got with Hermione's sister, nah, to weird."

"Doesn't matter. I could marry Isobel MacDougal for all the good that idea does. Before all this," Ron waved his hands about to indicate the whole entire freaking universe,"I could have met someone new, someone could have been created to be a vessel for _my_ children, but as it is, it doesn't matter what was." He looked at Hermione. "Our marriage has been recalled," he said seriously. "We have to find a solution that works now."

"Ollivander's daughter!" Hannah suggested, "it's perfect you met her after the war," she looked at Harry and Hermione, "all of you, when seeing Ollivander after the skirmish at Malfoy manor. He introduces you and you could hit it off."

"They did that to Luna." Neville pointed out. "Rolf is the grandson of a name we recognise. Even Hannah is better known that that! Luna was just as important as me in our seventh year. Ollivander is more than just a name, but still I think it's important we know Ron's wife personally, he's much more important than the producers and most of the muggles give him credit for."

"We don't know Ginny," Luna argued seeming unconcerned that her husband was being talked about. "At least, not well enough to give her any lines in this conversation. And Mr Ollivander's daughter died three years ago." Luna added.

"Oh how horrible." Hermione said.

"I know," Dean added. "Who will Ron end up with now?"


	4. Chapter IV

**Chapter IV**

 _I Think You're a Keeper_

* * *

"Dad why are you and mum not living together anymore?" Ron looked at his daughter who was looking at him with pure confusion on her face.

"Rosie your mother and I are separated." Ron told her. Hugo was with Hermione getting new shoes and Ron had been delighted to take Rose into work to keep an eye on her, it had been a few days only but he'd missed his kids so much in that time, something as simple as not being able to kiss them goodnight had physically hurt and it was by far the worst part of this. She was sitting on the bench next to the till wearing her own set of WWW robes which clashed just as effectively with her bushy red hair as his own.

"But why?" The little girl asked him. He smiled at her fondly.

"Because we shouldn't have gotten married. It was a mistake." He told her. She nodded, as though she understood perfectly, but then she frowned.

"Then why did you get married?" She asked. Ron smiled; this question was easy, unlike so many other questions his daughter asked him.

"Because I love your mother, and you and Hugo more than anything. And I always will." He said easily. "Your mum is the most special person. She's smart and cute and funny, she's brilliant and loving and kind and beautiful and she makes me happy." Ron said. "Even when we fight. She still makes me feel special. Your mum makes me feel like the luckiest man alive." He admitted, because it was true. Ron was not and never had been anything special but he was Hermione Granger's husband and that had always meant the world to him. That's what made him extraordinary. Not anymore.

"Then why was getting married a mistake?" Rose asked.

"I don't make her happy," he said stiffly. "Not anymore."

"What went wrong?" Rosie asked again. Ron didn't know how to answer that one. He just shrugged, really it boiled down to everyone in the whole world - Hermione included - knowing Ron Weasley was just not good enough for Hermione Granger.

"You're full of questions today Rosie." He reached under the counter and pulled out one of his own prototype joke products. It was a book that sucked whoever tried to read it inside and played out a silly story. He quite fancied having his brother spend the next three minutes as Cinderella - complete with dress.

"Give this to uncle George." He said. "And don't try to read it!" He warned sternly. Rosie took the book and he lifted her down from the counter. The bell above the door made him look up as his daughter ran out the back calling for her Uncle, "Uncle George please read me a story!"

Ron grinned at his mischievous daughter and then turned his attention to the customer. He half expected to see Hermione, maybe hoped it was, because he missed his wife, but it was not.

"Susan," Ron said with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'm meeting Dean." She said. "I overslept and misread the clock ended up being an hour early. Thought I'd come look around." She explained with a shake of her head.

She went to have a look at some products and Ron went back to penning new inventory into their books but felt the hair on the back of his neck rise and looked up to spot her looking at him.

"Yeah?" He asked, confused at her attention.

"Just, with your new wife thing," she began and Ron nodded. "Do you need one?" She asked, "maybe you're looking on the wrong side of the pitch here?" Susan suggested. Ron thought about it for a moment, what boys did he know? Ron and Malfoy together would be disastrous, maybe Ron and Dean, or even Ron and George... Wait, George was his brother, he'd grossed himself out.

Ron shook his head to Susan's question.

"No, it's not the pitch that's the problem." Ron muttered. "It's the keeper."

Susan offered him a sad smile, she was at the counter now, she put a hand over his. "I think you're a keeper." She said shyly, and Ron was about to suggest maybe she was the one for him, a pretty red head who thought he was a keeper but she was here meeting Dean.

And this keeper just let another one slip through his fingers.

Hermione had taken the kids back to her place early on in the day. George wasn't talking to him because he'd spent thirty minutes in the prototype prank, not three, though the costumes being retained upon arrival was an unforeseen hiccup that was going to become a feature as well as being able to teach magical children of muggle disease like Cinderella and Rapunzel. Ron was left hanging around his brothers' old flat on his own, with the company of a half empty bottle of mulled mead he'd rescued from the liquor cabinet (he'd developed an aversion to drinking alcohol which was previously stored on a mantelpiece.)

It was quite late that he got a visitor. Harry stumbled through the floo with a pitying look in his eyes. Ron didn't like pity, and was unaccustomed to it, he was always stupid Ron, rather than poor Ron.

"Rough day?" Harry asked joining Ron on the lounge.

"Something like that," the ginger replied. "I figured out what should have happened." Ron whispered. "Why our marriage is a mistake." He clarified, though he didn't and wasn't excited by this discovery, Harry looked at him, expectantly, excited even, finally a solution to the misery of his best mate.

"So who do you end up with?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.

"I didn't say that." He ran a hand through his hair and put down his mead, he'd drunken more since this all started than he had all year it seemed, not a good habit to get into.

"Merlin I miss her so much already. Do you think she misses me? I wish I'd kept my mouth shut Harry I can't keep on like this. And the kids, Merlin I miss my kids. I love being a dad, more than I thought I would, who needs anything but their kids?"

"It will be alright mate." Harry said. "It will all work out, trust me. You said you had it figured out?"

Ron nodded. "I should have died in the Battle of Hogwarts." He muttered. Harry shook his head this time.

"Don't say thing like-"

"You know I should have!" Ron insisted. "Me and maybe dad, I dunno. It would make more sense than Remus and Tonks dying when Teddy was still so little. Merlin, my dad has said he'd give his life a hundred time over to be able to save Fred." Ron's voice caught. He tried his best to blink away the tears but they fell anyway. "Merlin know's George would have been better if it was me and not Fred... It should have been me. And you would have been sad, sure but you'd have grown even closer because of it. You'd have to look after her when I was gone. Remus would be there like a father to you, mum wouldn't ever let you at it alone, marrying into the family or not, Dean was right, she made you a jumper you're as good as blood, and especially when the kids would all come along, mum'd help out, want to be apart of it. I'd like to think you'd name one of them for me. But maybe a middle name. I never liked my name really, Ron Potter sounds kind of weird."

"Ron-" Harry said but Ron stood and stretched.

"I'm going to bed mate, thanks for stopping by." The words were curt but he offered a sad sort of smile. "I'll be fine it's just... It's hard now. And it's not fair." He shook his head. "I shouldn't have left." Ron said. "It's the worst thing I've ever done, and I'll never forgive myself for it." Harry made to interrupt but stopped himself, Ron, usually so stoic and unemotional had obviously had this all bottled up for a very long time, one might even say the teaspoon was overflowing.

"After knowing it was a friend who betrayed your parents to their death I shouldn't have done that to you as well, and I shouldn't have done that to Hermione. Bloody hell I care about her too much to hurt her like that and I did it anyway! Care about you both too much to hurt you like that, let you at it alone like I did, I still haven't got any answers for why I did it." He sighed, "And I know I'm a mental case thinking I'm never good enough and I know that locket was putting ideas in my head and I actually listened to it? Like a giant bloody prat I listened to it. Any other character who can't overcome that fatal flaw about himself gets killed off, why should I have to live with that? And it's not fair that I couldn't continue on with the Aurors, that I end up running a joke shop, I mean I don't think I'm really much help, can't see how I am, really. George says I'm doing alright but I worry every day that I'll just fall short. Not be good enough, I know I'm not good enough to replace Fred." Ron continued, Harry had his arguments ready, that Ron had saved the shop when George would have let it die after his twin died, that Ron was very good at creating the spells to make new stock - something he'd never discovered he'd had a talent for in school because he was too scared of Hermione's Arithmancy notes to try to understand them, it was Ron who kept George on track, kept him happy, even, kept him from being swallowed up in his grief but Harry never got the chance to voice these points.

"*In some ways Hermione and Harry are a better fit* she said. I am never good enough." He said with such startling conviction it gave Harry pause. Ron was, in many ways as broken as everyone else in this world, though his demons have been with him from the very beginning, and he had to fight a war on top of that.

The man shook his head, took a breath as though to rid himself of his dark thoughts. "I,m getting caught up though. Right?" He asked, a Harry nodded a bit. "She told me I do that. Make something out of nothing. I guess it's what got me into this mess, eh? I'm going to bed. Sorry you had to hear that I just... Well I miss my wife. Thanks for coming to check up on me though Harry, you're a good mate." He finished lamely, heading down the dingy hall to one of the two bedrooms. The door shut with a cool thud and the house fell silent. Harry Potter just stared down the hall where his best friend had disappeared.

* * *

 _*quote from J. K. Rowling in her Wonderland Magazine interview 2014*_


	5. Chapter V

**Chapter V**

 _Her New Fiance and His Best Friends_

* * *

When Dean had said he still had feelings for Ginny and Susan had left him, everything seemed to fall into place. Susan Bones had all but fallen into the red head's arms.

"I've always liked tall boys," she told them all one Sunday afternoon where the whole gang, Neville and Hannah, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Luna, Ron and Susan were celebrating Ron and Susan's swift and sudden engagement.

Hermione was the only one who seemed less than thrilled but Ron was, as usual oblivious. Rose and Hugo were so taken with Susan who was kind hearted and funny and sweet and had a smile that could light up a room. She complimented Ron in every way. They both lived with troubles over their head, Ron was in the shadow of five older brothers, the shoes he'd never be able to fill, the disappointing son to a mother who always wanted a daughter and the husband who was never good enough for his extraordinary wife while Susan had always been poor Susan who's family was murdered, poor Susan who's mother had been such a wonderful witch, poor Susan who might hope to be as successful as her dead aunt Amelia. Poor Susan who was forgotten in the pairings off at the very end of the war when even Hannah was given to Neville.

It had been only five days since Hermione and Ron separated, and Ron still missed her, still loved her but this was his destiny, he would, no doubt disappear with Susan. His children would become Harry's step kids and like every other thing in his life they would no doubt love Harry more than him, and Ron had already decided that would be the final straw. He and Susan would disappear after that final patch of body hair was viciously ripped out by a plaster which made nothing better. He wouldn't stay around only to be the uncle of his own children, besides he had a talent for leaving, even when he didn't want to.

He and Susan could start anew, maybe go to another country and have their own kids, start a new life, become extraordinary in their own right, away from Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Away from the ghosts of all the Bones family who were brilliant before they died.

A toast was made and speeches said. Then Ron stood, and looked to Harry with a smile.

"You're my best mate, you will be the best man, again, won't you?" Ron asked. Harry nodded enthusiastically.

"Course," Harry answered and another toast was made ("cheers!").

"Though I've had an idea!" Susan said. Looking between her new fiancée and his best friends. "We should have a double wedding!"

"Yes!" Ron said, smiling at Harry, but Harry frowned.

"With who?" He asked, Ron laughed at what must have been a joke.

"You and Hermione of course!" Ron insisted. Ginny looked rather cross at the news.

"I'm not marrying Hermione!" Harry said. "I love Ginny, she's perfect for me. Ginny is my soul mate. Just because Hermione was unhappy with your marriage." Harry told them "Doesn't mean I have to give up mine."

"But who's Hermione going to marry then?" Ron asked, Victor Krum came to mind, and bile rose in his throat. Draco Malfoy also crossed his mind and jealously and anger sured through him so hard and fast he clenched his fist until his nails left tiny indents in his palm.

Susan laughed, shaking her head.

"Trust you three Gryffindor's to go rushing into something like this." Susan said, "So seeing as it was Hermione who wasn't happy in the first place it should be easy to find her a new someone, shouldn't it?" Susan asked, Ron wasn't happy with the direction the conversation had taken. If he was going to be replaced at least it was The very famous and heroic Harry Potter replacing him, not some no-body like Percy married, (Audrey Weasley, maiden name unknown).

"I can't really think of anyone I'd rather be with," Hermioe said honestly, looking seriously at Ron, she still caused butterflys in his stomach.

"You're not really easy to love though, are you Hermione, I mean, you get credit for putting up with him," Here Ginny pointed to Ron, "But you're a bit bossy, and by a bit I mean really bossy, you're also neurotic and logical to the point of being stupid. You're also kind of up yourself, know-it-all doesn't begin to cover it. Blatant arrogance and a good deal of being self obsessed I'd say."

Hermione looked angry, very angry in fact, Ron was grinning, obviously highly amused by Ginny's assessment.

"Well!" Hermione huffed, "Really?" She asked next, "If we're going to go picking apart characters how about we have a go at you, you crazy hero-worshiping Harry Potter fangirl? I told you to let go of your crazy-stalker crush and you decide to go be a complete slag, filling a hole much?"

"How dare you?" Ginny said, drawing her wand, most looked entertained, though both Ron and Harry looked torn on how to break up the fight. Luna looked thrilled and was watching intently after sing-song calling "Girl fight!"

"What are you going to attack me with quidditch talk or maybe a bat bogey hex, the other skill you have?" Hermione shot, drawing her own wand confidently.

Ginny was at a loss for words, and fired the first spell - not a bat-bogey-hex, possibly to prove a point, but maybe she should have gone with that because the spell she did cast was easily deflected by Hermione.

"Stop," Ron said, finally stepping between them. "This is what happens when this author tries to write you Ginny, neither of you are acting like yourselves now, you both said some hurtful things, but both said accurate things, so lets forget about it, yeah?"

While they still looked angry both women put their wands away and sat back down. "This is so silly," Susan said, she was leaning against Ron, "I think maybe you need to re-think your descicion to leave your wife Ron," She stood, and kissed him on the cheek, then left, Neville and Hannah took their leave as well, then Luna and Rolf followed, even though we never knew Rolf was ever in the room to begin with. Ginny kissed her husband and left the trio alone to devise a new plan, though she still looked quite angry.

"So now what?" Ron asked, though he was staring at Hermione.

"I was never unhappy." Hermione said. "I was ill content I think. I don't know if I can cope with your insecurities Ron." She said honestly.

"That's not something I can ever get over Hermione. From the moment I decided to be Harry's best friend that day on the train I knew I would always be in the shadow of someone greater, my brothers were one thing, but Mum used to tell us bedtime stories about Harry, and even so. Harry was one thing but you, you were always the brightest witch of or age, brilliant, beautiful, you didn't even know about our world and now you're just as famous as him, and still doing amazing things. I'll be okay with being in the shadows if it is in your shadow Hermione, I've always been okay with that. Being your husband is what makes me extraordinary, as long as you don't need someone... Well someone as equally as extraordinary?" Here Ron looked at Harry, who coloured a bit. Hermione looked between her boys. The most famous wizard alive and his best mate.

Why did she love Ron Weasley? It was a question she'd had trouble answering recently, for no reason other than she couldn't change him into exactly who she wanted him to be, and really, that wasn't fair on him.

Ron Weasley was funny, and had a good heart. He was misguided sometimes for the most petty reasons but always came back when he was needed the most. He was brave and stubborn and foolish, but he could also see a bigger picture, beyond himself, he would defend you with ever ounce of misplaced anger he could. He cared fully and wholly and was not ashamed to wear his heart on his sleeve. He was loyal, despite himself, he was the most wonderful father, and uncle. Despite the pain that was shared by everyone around him in their world he was happy, and his happiness was often infectious but most of all he was passionate about whatever silly little thing that got into his head, and she was passionate about him.

Hermione went to him, and he embraced her, and he kissed her with as much passion that he always had kissed her with, the passion that she'd missed and after losing him for a few days now could appreciate.

"I love you Ron Weasley, I think you are extraordinary." Hermione mumbled and Ron smiled a smile so bright she though she would be blinded. He cuddled her to him, squeezing her tight enough to make her chest ache.

"Hermione. Sometimes we just want things, no matter how misguided or silly or incomprehensible, I love you, and I want you, I've never been so sure of anything in my life, will you marry me? Again?"

She smiled as brightly as she had the first time he'd asked her. She nodded and pulled him towards her and he kissed her. Harry left, not really wanting to join in, though he would admit, for a while there, he'd been thinking about suggesting they all just have a relationship together. Ron was pretty hot, and he definitely had a thing for red-heads.


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

 _19 Days Later_

* * *

Hermione and Ron had been separated for only six days, it made it easier for Ron to move back in with his wife, seeing as his things were never actually moved to the vacant apartment above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. On the subject of what they were to tell the children, Ron simply pretended like those horrible, lonely six days of his life didn't exist when Rosie asked him why he had moved back home. Hugo had tried to help his sister in the insistence that their parents were separated and their father was going to marry Miss Susan but Ron simply insisted no such thing had ever happened and they play the silliest of games.

Frustrated the intelligent pair called their mother in to back them up, and in a panic - because she hadn't thought about what to tell the children either - Hermione played along, 'who's Miss Susan? Daddy never went anywhere."

"I can't believe you made me lie to them like that!" Hermione was saying in their bedroom that night. She'd put on her night gown and slid into bed next to him.

"Made you?" Ron asked in indignation. "You went along with it. I thought it was quite clever." He said proudly, a silly grin on his face, he pulled her to him again, which she allowed, even though she was still arguing with him.

"Ron you can't do that to children it's wrong!" Hermione insisted, her tone of voice was quite grating, really the whole lie had been harmless.

"Why not? It's not going to physiologically scar them, in a few years they'll be old enough to piece together that we just changed our minds. If they ask again I'll tell them what happened but they're too little to be worrying about our problems!" He shot back. Hermione paused.

"We're fighting again," she pointed out. Ron smiled.

"We're disagreeing." He corrected, "because I did something silly and you needed to rouse. Though I noticed you changed the subject when I won the argument."

"I don't rouse," Hermione said immediately, she was glaring at him rather heatedly. Ron for once didn't react, he smiled at her and said; "Yes dear." Pulling her close to him. The one thing no one considered is the reason their relationship worked so well was because they were both incredibly passionate people, and that passion and fire extended to their bedroom in the most pleasurable, rough and dirty ways imaginable.

The next day was a Saturday. And as always the children and their mother were up early, Ron rose later in the day and kissed his wife on the cheek wrapping her up in his arms and resting his head on the top of hers.

"I missed you, when we weren't together. I missed you and the kids so much it actually hurt. I'll... I'll try to be more sensible." Ron promised. "Better for you." He added. Hermione smiled at him, and shook her head.

"You are the very best for me Ronald. I love you, I missed you too while you were gone. I guess I just never realized... You always listen to my problems, when I'm properly upset and you always make me feel better. I... especially about my family." Hermione added, Ron stroked her hair soothingly.

He had disagreed with what she had done to her parents, taken their memories from them, when they'd been found and had their memories returned, well, Mr. and Mrs Granger had never trusted her again, and he'd told her she deserved not to be trusted.

She'd gotten angry but eventually saw he was right, after Rose was born she saw he was right. As muggles she had no right to use magic against them to take away any of their memories about their only daughter, it wasn't fair, but the family was healing.

"If I need help," Hermione was saying, "you were always the first to offer, everything I asked you to do was always done. I was a fool to think I would be better off with anyone else, that I needed anyone else or I could even be happy with anyone else. Not when its you that I want and love. Silliness and insecurities and all, you're not my Ron without them. I guess, really I was a big part of the problem, I can be selfish, only worrying about myself, I mean, you gave up your career with the Aurors so I could continue my work when the kids were born and you've helped me through the hardest times in my life. I can be dismissive of you which is wrong of me." She paused for a long while, "I think from now on we'll be alright, who cares what anyone says about our relationship, that quote came from the woman who named Harry's grandfather Fleamont Potter why did we take it to heart? We've been married for 10 years and not once have I ever wanted anyone but you. I guess before now I always thought our marriage was a given, that you would stay with me no matter what, then I lost you and I finally realized how much I love you, I'm sorry it took me so long"

Ron kissed his wife, touched by her honesty, more in love than they were in the first chapter, each having a new appreciation for the other. If they felt cheated that the unwritten days between when the story took place and the Epilogue was more than twice the amount of time of the whole story they couldn't do anything about it, even though that time in particular would be the more important part of the final outcome of the relationships developed in the Epilogue. But we're not bitter at all.

The point was that Ron and Hermione only needed to develop their relationship beyond the foundation laid when they were children, then there would be no need for any councilors and they'd both be happy together, in love forever.

Ron loved Hermione, with all his heart, and he loved her flaws as well, and now Hermione realized that she loved Ron and all his flaws too, their solution to Ron's crippling insecurity was that Hermione made sure every day to tell him that she loved him, it made him smile and then all was well.

* * *

 _Re-write completed 5-4-2016 |_ _Thank you for reading, reviewing, favorites and follows._


End file.
